Police, community and calendar briefs for June 7, 2014

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a former Olympic equestrian athlete who failed to attend his court date this week.

Darren Chiacchia, 49, was scheduled to appear before Circuit Judge Hale Stancil on Tuesday for a pre-trial conference, according to court records. When Chiacchia failed to appear, Stancil ruled the defendant would have to come before the bench on Thursday.

When Chiacchia failed to appear Thursday, a warrant was issued.

Chiacchia is accused of failing to notify a partner he was HIV positive before engaging in sexual relations. He is charged with a first-degree felony for unlawful acts prior to sex.

Stancil had dismissed the charge in 2012, but an appellate court reversed that decision.

Man, 27, accused of molesting 10-year-old

Ocala police arrested a man accused of breaking into an Ocala home and inappropriately touching a 10-year-old girl.

Jimmy Lee Ward, 27, was arrested Thursday afternoon on charges of lewd and lascivious molestation and burglary of an occupied dwelling on Thursday.

The girl was interviewed at Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection and said she was asleep in her bed with her younger sister when Ward awakened her by rubbing her buttocks, according to an Ocala Police Department report. The girl told an investigator Ward had his pants unbuttoned and unzipped and touched her with his privates.

The child’s grandmother told police that shortly before 6 a.m. Thursday, Ward called her saying he saw police and ran into her residence. He allegedly told her he was looking for her daughter and accidentally fell on the victim.

Ward was found and taken to OPD for an interview with Detective Stephanie McQuaig. Ward denied being in the house, touching the victim in a sexual manner or talking on the phone with the girl’s grandmother.

McQuaig obtained phone logs showing Ward’s phone called the residence, according to the report. Ward was released from jail early Friday morning on $35,000 bond.

Boys, 17, arrested after shining lights in yards

Marion County sheriff’s deputies arrested two 17-year-old boys reportedly seen shining lights onto other people’s properties in the Fort McCoy area early Thursday morning after deputies said the teens had synthetic marijuana and gave them false names.

One of the boys was wanted by the St. Petersburg Police Department for aggravated battery, sheriff’s officials said.

Shortly after 4 a.m. Thursday, a Sheriff’s Office supervisor stopped the four-door 1998 Acura the boys were in along the 16000 block of Northeast 148th Terrace Road. The supervisor had observed the occupants shining lights into yards, homes and cars in the area.

Firefighters respond to 3 fires; no one injured

County firefighters battled three fires in five hours Friday.

No one was injured in the fires, two of which involved mobile homes. The third involved a pipe-and-tarp structure.

The first fire occurred at 8:36 a.m. in the Mill Dam Resort mobile home park at 18901 E. State Road 40, according to a news release from Marion County Fire Rescue spokeswoman Jessica Greene.

The fire began in a shed that had ammunition in it and spread to an attached living area. When firefighters arrived, the shed was fully engulfed and about 40 percent of the home was burning. They were able to extinguish the fire before it could cause any more serious damages to other structures.

Of five homes nearby, one had some damage.

Shortly after 10 a.m., firefighters went to 1109 SW 109th Place, where a homeowner said he had been frying eggs and walked away. When he returned, the kitchen was on fire. Firefighters were able to contain the fire within 15 minutes.

At 1:34 p.m., fire crews were called to 1801 NW 39th Place, where a pipe-framed tarp about 8 feet by 10 feet had caught fire. Though it was not clear how that fire started, the homeowners were cited for illegal burning.

Since late last month, county and city firefighters have responded to seven other structure fires. None involved human injuries or deaths.

Flag Day event to honor essay contest winners

The winners of the fourth- and fifth-grade essay contest, “What the Flag Means to Me,” will be featured at 3 p.m. June 15 at the Ocala/Marion County Veterans Memorial Park as part of a Flag Day celebration.

The contest is sponsored by Marion County veterans organizations and Marion County Public Schools. A flag ceremony will be conducted by Marine Corps League Detachment 061. For more information, call 671-6847.

Information sessions for CF XCEL-IT program

The College of Central Florida’s XCEL-IT program will host two information sessions for entrepreneurs and those interested in a career in information technology or logistics and supply chain management.

The first session will be 10 to 11 a.m. June 18 in the Ewers Century Center, Room 101, at the CF Ocala campus, 3001 SW College Road. And the second session will be from 1 to 2 p.m. June 25 at the Citrus Learning and Conference Center, 3800 S. Lecanto Highway, Lecanto.

The information session will include an overview of the XCEL-IT program, eligibility requirements, courses offered, potential industry certifications and certificates offered.

Following the information session, attendees may speak one-on-one with an academic adviser. Register to attend the free event by calling 873-5855 or send email to xcel-it@cf.edu.

XCEL-IT, Information Technology Careers in Rural Areas, is a statewide grant led and administered by CF, which is specifically designed to expand programs for workers who have been displaced due to foreign trade.

Craft beer tasting on Thursday at ABC liquor

There will be a craft beer tasting event from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, 865 N. U.S. 27, Lady Lake. There will be more than 60 craft beers available. The cost is $10. For more information, call 753-0470.

Center offering senior square dance lessons

The Family Wellness Center, 4817 NE Second Loop, Ocala, is looking for seniors interested in square dancing from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays.

The cost is $40 for four classes beginning June 17, but there must be a minimum of four couples to offer the class (couples do not have to be male/female). If interested, call 362-1993 for more information.

Applications now open for city street banners

The Ocala Public Works Traffic Division is accepting street banner applications for the banner lottery until Aug. 1 for the 2015 calendar year. Reservations can only be made by nonprofit organizations.

The city has two banner locations that can be reserved for one week. One is in the 1100 block of East Silver Springs Boulevard, and the other is in the 1300 block of West Silver Springs Boulevard.

Applications can be obtained at Public Works Traffic Division Office, 1805 NE 30th Ave., Building 300, weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Call 351-6733 or email pubworks@ocalafl.org for a faxed or electronic copy of the form.

TODAY

PET PARENTING: Humane Society of Marion County, class for people with chained dogs who want to be in compliance with new animal ordinance banning unattended tethering of dogs, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 701 NW 14th Road. (236-0483)